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No. Officially it can not look. Is... or is not. There is no look like.

Trek, man I gotta believe even Ed himself is a little bit overwhelmed by your faith in him...

Calling all Canadians!! Walmart.ca is magically loaded with all sorts of LEGO EXCLUSIVES in stock online! Grand Emporium, Camper Van, Pet Shop, Town Hall, Sopwith Camel!! GO NOW! Load up and avoid the Ban hammer! lol

This is a known issue with Town Halls. If they are being retired early, it's probably because Chinese counterfeiters have infiltrated the production line. My first Town Hall came in a box stamped "Make Happy Luck Toy" and included Batman and Robin mounted on Speedorz. Also, the bricks appeared to be made from some sort of hard cheese. I wasn't brave enough to taste one. Fortunately, LEGO Shop at Home was very understanding when I called to start the return process.

Series 7 Source: The Brick Fan

Received my Town Hall from S@H today. I just opened it up and I'm concerned the minifigs are Chinese fakes. What should I do? I guess if I submit a missing parts claim, they'll replace the minifigs.

I got my first one today. Don't really care if it's retiring now or not. Can't beat double VIP points and the Christmas promo on an exclusive.

That is not all you just said. We can read it. It's still there.

Ummmmmm no its not.

...or....ahhh....forget it.

It has been mentioned before but it all falls back on TLG. The fact they underestimated the demand for a set like this so close to the holidays is a head scratcher.

Well, we still have no idea what is the usual size of the production run for something as big as TH or HH. My feeling is that for each set, the size of each run is the same - this would be the easiest to plan when multiple elements of supply chain are involved (printing, box manufacturing, etc). Also, something tells me that they were on schedule to produce 38R4 no matter what. BUT... the rumors are flying probably around some information that there is no next run scheduled (or there is no run scheduled for start of 2015). But this could be deceptive in the sense that TLC could probably easily skip a run based on market conditions, but will still schedule it for next run. i.e. hypothetically, they might skip run 48R4, but have no intention to skip 18R5 run. Some insider might have seen that TH is not on 48R4 menu, and communicated that. But he might not know about 18R5 or just did not bother to mention

As Jeff said, the only spreadsheet I have is my brain. You take some information here, some there, hear a rumor, look at stock levels. It's intuition. It's karma. Whatever. Many people on the site have the awareness. I guess when you study this crap for 20 hours a day, you get a feel for the way things operate. LOL

It is not retired until it is retired. And it is not retired yet.

Exciter1 and Ghostdad May be on to something here. So, I opened up my TH yesterday and wouldn't you know it, It came with a Fortune Cookie.

Ed's spreadsheet is in his brain.

No it does not really retired yet

Either you have not been fully awake when you wrote this, or I am not fully reading it now. Or in other words: what?

It's official. FYI... http://community.brickpicker.com/topic/1219-dino-theme-discussions/?p=344663 LEGO Jurassic World Sets Officially Announced Universal Partnerships & Licensing announced yesterday, what has been rumoured for a while: The LEGO Group is an official licensing partner for Jurassic World. The movie directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will premiere on June 12th, 2015. The partnership between LEGO and Universal includes the release of several construction toy sets to be released in May, 2015 and supposedly also a video game. The press release quotes Jill Wilfert, The LEGO Group

You were really exhausted. Let us know 4 times. Lol ;)

Well, we've had some recent break-ins in the neighborhood so I would keep my cash under my mattress, except that's where I store the larger lego boxes. Not only does it save space, but the corrugated cardboard adds an extra layer of cushiony comfort.

this...i only sell internationally via gsp.

Well - I had a similar experience yesterday: two HHs from Target arrived in one box, poorly packed and creased boxes (but still sealed). I called Target and explained the damage. After a couple of minutes on hold: guess what they did - they will refund one of the HHs, and I can keep both damaged ones. So in the end I got two HHs with box damage for 50% off. That's what I call a deal. Especially when I want to build one myself anyway. Target made my day today.

I think the point that you are missing is that until it is marked as a "retired product" @ LS@****, anything can happen. I do hope it is retired, and it certainly acts like it is on its way out.

The GE is not retired unless the product page on LEGO Shop at Home says "Retired Product".

It makes people feel important I guess......I'm about to just start deleting crap like that. I don't care if people get mad that I called it crap because that's what it is. So if you make a statement like "this set is retired" and it's not listed as retired on the Lego website, your post is gonna get deleted.

Even if something is "probable" to retire, you are still holding on to them for at least 1/2 a year - a year anyway. No one knows the exact day a set will retire. You chose to make a leap of faith on some sets but not others. Thats the fun of lego investing right? I don't like star wars that much in general, and I don't buy it (but it does well).

Just speaking personally I was told Town Hall and Pet Shop would go before Grand Emporium. I was told by multiple stores and by pretty good resources in my book. Not you're usual "I think that is retiriing soon or next". I never ask this info but sometimes it is given out. When it starts to become a trend I also notice how the store stocks are each time I go in and the various stores I go to (have 8 stores in my travels so I can get a pretty good gauge of what is selling / not selling or available). Obviously not everyone can do that or yet alone have 1 store close to them. Then you can research your big 4 (TRU, Wal-Mart, Target, LEGO). GE has not been back in any of the stores I frequent since the whole retirement thing started. Thats usually a good sign its on its way out. TH and PS have been following that trend. HH and SC both did these same patterns as well. First Shop at Home goes then the other 3 online retailers then slowly the stores dry up and poof there all out. Then you see some small weekly store batches and in and out of internet sites as we've seen. For me HH hasn't been in store in about a month, GE I haven't seen for 3 months and SC hasn't been in the last few store shipments. TH was scarce to begin with at stores and PS wasn't far behind. Then you have Ebay sales which all of these have spiked at the past few weeks. GE is pulling in $225-230 again, TH has been quietly going up weekly for the past few weeks until now its a solid $275 to 300. So the signs are there and have been there. Then for someone who owns/runs the site to nicely drop subtle hints and basically come out and say its retiring and now would be a good time to get some if you want them. I think its a safe bet to invest in them if you can. If you can't thats fine but even if you can't afford to store them just move them now. That way if you don't believe its retiring then you can make some easy money for the next few weeks / months while they pop in and out. If you just buy 2 and flip one you're into the 2nd one for roughly $150. At $150 you can always dump your 2nd one at retail if you can't afford to hold. If you bought them at lego you're only paying $160 a piece to begin with right now with the promos so flipping 1 gets you down to $100ish for your 2nd one. Its a very low risk time to buy these is my point. It will be hard to get to many of them built up right now anyways. The 5 per limit on Walmart yesterday was the best bulk way to get them if you did want to build them up. Theres no reason 3 modulars can't go in the next few months. Theres still 2 out with the 3rd on the way and they take up a ton of shelf space at the stores. Town Hall was never a big seller at the store level from what I can see. Thats why were seeing other large exclusives online only like Maersk and HE lately too. They just don't have the room. Some of the stores said they might have them in at the holidays briefly but other than that there online only for awhile now. I could se ToO also going online only after the holidays as LOTR/Hobbit section is abysmal at most stores to begin with. Literally tucked in a crevice right now. They didn't even sell when they were all marked 20% off over the summer (not ToO but the LOTR/Hobbitt lines). The only reason they have the sections is ToO as its the flagship and then they tuck those around it. Once the new Hobbit sets come and go that beast could definitely be gone. Anyways the signs are there TH is on its way out. Whether your believe inside information or not is up to you but there are people with knowledge and multiple sources have said its leaving sooner than later (on and off this site). Worst case scenario flip the ones you get now and you still win. You make your other purchases cheaper and if they hang around to long for what you desire you'll be able to move the rest you pickup without a loss as somebody else will buy them from you to hold.

My thought exactly. whoever came up with this brilliant strategy upstairs in TLC should be sent to work the floor in one of the Lego stores, and preferably in not-so-posh neighborhood..

bought two misb 10226 sopwith camels for $92 each last week. picked up 1 loose (for my son) and 1 new 10228 HH. i hate paying even $5 over MSRP.

There is 1 difference. No extra christmas set with orders here. Just VIP points

Saw your post first come through in email without the graphic, not seeing Yoda and it made me think of this. Opened the page and saw your graphic, too hilarious. The force must run deep in those who believe.

Let's get the affiliate thing out of the way first...I know of three sets right now that are on the guaranteed short list but I won't say anything because it might affect future information coming my way, even at the expense of tremendous affiliate sales. As for the SSD, yes, I told people every chance I could to buy a SSD at Double and Triple VIP points, but I only mentioned something on the site when my source confirmed what I already knew was true. It took months for the final SSD to be sold and even longer to be marked as retired from the time I heard the SSD was marked as retired within the system. This is a slow process at times. As for the Town Hall, it would make perfect sense for this set to be around for another year or so. But my gut and a little bird tells me that this set could make an early exit. Does that mean one month? Three months? A year? Who knows for sure, but buying a few right now as a hedge is smart IMO. It takes a long time for all the sets to be cleared out of inventories and if there was a recent run, even longer. Point is, many people on this site think day to day. I think month to month and year to year.

Just sold my last one for $70 shipped. Now if they come back I will buy some more at $20, otherwise I am done with this set and it was a fun ride.

That is correct, but it was April 2013 when the comments started on "this may be the last time you can buy this". The brickshow video about it retiring was pointed to as further evidence that the sources inside lego were agreeing an correct that it was retiring. I think this is a case where your sources had bad info or TLG just changed their mind because they had extra capacity. I headed your advice 6 months later (triple vip, 2 promos, giddy-up) and cannot be more happy with the results. When you and some of the other seasoned vets talk I listen. You have a good source and years of experience. But this is a case where even though the signs pointed to X, sources also confirmed X, and Y happened. I even watched SSD and DS stay mainly OOS on amazon for what seemed like Oct - Jan with little fanfare. For the record, I don't believe your comments have anything to do with driving affiliate sales. The smart business move if to give people the best info you have and keep them coming back year after year, not burning them on a few sets as a cash in. So when it comes to the TH, history tells me this is going to be around for years. But your info and looking at big picture of what makes sense to TLG the company tells me this is a prime candidate to disappear. I am 50/50 on what's going to happen. But I figure I can make a few bucks on the short term shortage either way. The point here is that while you have one of the best inside tracks into what's happening with sets retiring, bad info, unexpected stock movements, and TLG changing their mind can all throw curves into the mix. While it's not a bad idea to make small corrections to one's course, it is also not be the best idea to run full steam with those rumors and ride their own strategy off the rails. When inventory is completely wiped in less than a day, you have to wonder if this was the track most people were trying to follow

I suggest preparing to sell all your Dino sets soon. The upcoming Jurassic Wolf / Park line is basically a refresh. http://lego-minifigures.tumblr.com/post/99474203886/lego-jurassic-world-sets-officially-announced LEGO Jurassic World Sets Officially Announced Universal Partnerships & Licensing announced yesterday, what has been rumoured for a while: The LEGO Group is an official licensing partner for Jurassic World. The movie directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will premiere on June 12th, 2015. The partnership between LEGO and Universal includes the release of several construction toy sets to be released in May, 2015 and supposedly also a video game. The press release quotes Jill Wilfert, The LEGO Group

GSP is the only thing I use for international shipping. So far, it's been great. Where else can you ship a large item internationally for $10? Yes, I just shipped a 41999 Technic: 4x4 Crawler the other day internationally for $10 shipped, insured, w/ signature confirmation. I do get a best offer sometimes and they don't want to use GSP, but I insist they use USPS Priority Mail Express and pay the full amount, so that works too.

Trek has a case of "Single White Female" for Ed Mack Furthermore, Trek tried to secretly changing his profile pic but I just let the cat out of the bag

No, they're not contraband. Contraband items are those that have been imported or exported outside the laws of the respective countries/regions. These are, however, violations of trademarks. It's up to TLG and the license holders (Marvel, DC, etc.) to identify and file for their removal. eBay is in no position to determine a real vs. fake minifig or set -- not their job, nor do they have the expertise. So far, TLG and Marvel, DC, etc. don't seem to care much. If these items are listed in the LEGO categories, many of us have had success in reporting them and having them removed. Edited to add: http://community.brickpicker.com/topic/2804-knockoff-brands-bootleg-bricks-mimicked-minifigures/ is a thread that covers the issue extensively.

Picked up one today in San Diego. It was the only one on the shelf. Moments after I picked it up off the shelf, another one magically appeared.

Seems like a great event! Thanks for sharing!

You wouldn't be the guy that got carried out of my local tru, would you?

Agreed - if you are only in this for the short term. Eventually, those will sell out. And the set will retire. And I will have loaded up on even more at $19.99. And now I have sales data to back up that when these are gone, they will skyrocket. Because they will eventually go away, and there will still be consumers that were caught snoozing.

Two boxes of Mixels Series 1. Couldn't resist when I found them.

Gave away a Vampyre Hearse to a family friend. They have no actual lego sets, just bricks and can't really afford new sets - it only cost me $9 so it's not a big deal, not as if I am giving away a SSD!

< bleep > S @ H for canceling my backordered HH and practically sold it to other buyer

O eBay you so dumb.